Horror, Relief, Victory
by Kchan88
Summary: This is the Hermione's POV in the chapter "The Flaw in the Plan" from Deathly Hallows. What was going on in the Great Hall befroe Voldemort marched to the castle? What was going on with Ron, Hermione, and the Weasleys? One-Shot


Horror, Relief, Victory

Ron and Hermione sat frozen inside the Great Hall with the Weasleys and other participants of the chaotic battle that had just hit its lull. They were waiting. Whether it was for more disaster to strike or for a miraculous victory, no one could know. Hermione gazed around, hardly able to stomach the death surrounding her; so many had died to protect the freedom and safety of their world, including several she had loved. Ginny sat next to her, head resting on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione had done her best to try and comfort her friend, but admittedly there was little she could do to ease the pain of losing Fred, who was the last person anyone expected to die, Fred, who died laughing at Percy's joke.

She couldn't even bear to look at the still figures of Colin Creevey, Lupin, or Tonks. Colin had only been 16. And now little Teddy was left without either of his parents. It struck Hermione how very similar Teddy's situation was to Harry's. She shook her head, trying to keep her pain in check and her tears at bay. One horcrux remained, and ever more worrisome, Harry was nowhere in sight. Ron moved from his spot next to Percy to sit next to Hermione and Ginny. She thought fleetingly of the kiss they'd shared, a ghost of a smile crossing her face. It seemed a world away now.

"Where the hell is Harry?" he whispered in her ear, his voice full of the same shooting fear she felt.

"I don't know," she answered, sick at the thoughts that were creeping into the edges of her mind.

"You don't think…" said Ron, his hand suddenly gripping hers.

"No," said Hermione, hardly able to even think of it. She met Ron's eyes. "I'm so afraid he did," she admitted. "And we didn't stop him."

"Maybe's he's just trying to find a way to destroy Nagini," said Ron, desperately trying to reassure them both.

"Yes," said Hermione. "That's it. That must be it."

But in her heart she knew it wasn't true. Harry would have come looking for the two of them if that were the case, because by now Harry knew the horcrux hunt was a team effort between the three of them. He knew he needed his friends. But if he had gone and given himself to Voldemort, Hermione knew he would have gone alone. They would have tried to stop him, would have tried to come up with another solution. But at hearing Voldemort's proclamation, Harry would have felt it was his duty to give himself up for his friends. She and Ron both knew that, but admitting the possibility that he was gone was beyond them. Ginny lifted her head from Hermione's shoulder, looking over at the two of them, her eyes dry.

"Harry had better not have given himself up," she said so only they could hear. "Or…" her voice broke off and she stared at the floor. She reached over, taking one of Hermione's hands and one of Ron's; the three Gryffindors sat in a circle, united in terror.

Silence reigned for what seemed like eternity. Hermione looked around, her eyes landing on various occupants of the Great Hall; Neville, Luna, Seamus, and Dean sat huddled in a corner amongst other students who had stayed to fight, each bearing the marks of battle; Kingsley paced back and forth by the door, looking distraught; McGonagall stood near him, and Hermione wasn't surprised to see her eyes gazing over at the three of them, no doubt concerned about the same thing they were. Hermione resumed looking at the floor until Mr. Weasley came over and knelt before them. She noticed Mrs. Weasley too was watching them, her eyes glazed over with tears. Her heart broke for Mrs. Weasley who had to endure something no parent ever should.

"Ron, Hermione, do either of you know where Harry has gotten to?" asked Mr. Weasley gently, panic flooding his voice. "We were worried he might have…"

But before he could finish his sentence, Voldemort's high, cold voice came crashing through the air. Hermione and Ron jolted from their seats, but Ginny remained sitting, her hands gripping the wood of the bench, eyes narrowed at the invisible voice.

"Harry Potter is dead…"

Hermione's blood ran cold in her veins, and Ron gripped her hand so hard she lost feeling in her fingers. Through her shock, she forced her mind to listen to Voldemort's words for any sign he might be bluffing.

"He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

Hermione was so angry at Voldemort's audacious lie that her ears hardly registered Mrs. Weasely's shuddering sob or Mr. Weasely's gasp of "No!" The tears she expected did not come, but she nearly faltered, her heart racing. She didn't dare to glance around the room, because seeing the other's reactions would only make this nightmare real. Ron met her gaze, and she saw the tears threatening his blue eyes. They shared the same thought, and Ron held her hand tighter as they set off running. Hermione reached behind her for Ginny and the three of them flew across the Great Hall, through the Entrance Hall, and outside to the grounds. The Weasleys and other occupants followed closely at their heels. The doors flew open, and before them stood Voldemort and the remaining Death Eaters, followed by a sobbing Hagrid with Harry in his arms.

Hermione's whole body shook, feeling sick. Ron and Ginny gasped on either side of her. McGonagall's scream ripped through the air. Hermione wanted to kill Voldemort right then and there, wanted to send him spinning with one jet of green light. She had never felt like this, had never sought to kill with her wand. She was frozen in shock at the abominable sight before her eyes.

"No!" she cried out, similar cries issuing from Ron and Ginny.

Voldemort eyed them with malice, a smirk forming on his snakelike features, as if he knew the three of them were the ones Harry had loved most, the ones who loved Harry most. His eyes raked over Ron and Hermione for an instant, and Hermione was positive he recognized them as Harry's two horcrux hunting companions. After the incident at Malfoy Manor, there was no way he was bereft of that particular knowledge. The whole crowd began shouting at the Death Eaters and Voldemort. The Dark Lord screamed in frustration, bidding Hagrid to lay Harry at his feet.

"You see?" said Voldemort. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

This, thought Hermione was absolutely false, and merely a way to boost Voldemort's already obnoxious ego. Not one person in the crowd would be convinced of it. The last thing Harry had ever wanted was for others to sacrifice themselves for him. She felt her face flush with fury, and opened her mouth to shout at Voldemort, but Ron beat her to it.

"He beat you!" called Ron, leaping forward beside her.

The moments after were a blur. Hermione watched as Voldemort tortured Neville, her eyes darting from her best friend's body on the ground to the fearless Neville in front of her. She and Ron exchanged glances again. After all the three of them had been through, after all they'd meant to each other, it hardly seemed possible that the ever present fear of seven years friendship had been realized.

Neville's earsplitting screams shocked them back to the present. For an instant it seemed that yet another friend would be lost to Voldemort's cruelty. Hermione could not stifle a gasp when Neville unexpectedly sliced off the Nagini's head, finishing the mission Dumbledore had started, the mission she, Harry, and Ron had sought to complete. The destruction of the final horcrux and Voldemort's scream of fury flung Hermione back into action as chaos began. The insanity separated her from Ron, but one final glance said everything; they needed to get to Voldemort; for the continuance of the wizarding world as they knew it, for all their friends who had fought so valiantly, but most of all, for Harry.

"Hermione!" called Ginny, distracting Hermione from her path to the Dark Lord. Hermione whipped around to see Ginny and Luna battling Bellatrix and rather holding their own. Bellatrix' prodigious skill however, demanded there be a third to duel her. Bellatrix's eyes widened in glee when she saw Hermione join the fight.

"The mudblood!" she crooned. "What a pleasure! I believe I owe you and your blood traitor boyfriend a killing curse or two! Are you looking forward to going the same way as your beloved friend Potter?"

"Don't you talk about Harry!" Hermione retorted, shooting a well-aimed stunning spell that Bellatrix nevertheless dodged.

"Touched a nerve have I?" she purred. "How about you watch your two friends die here, and then I'll kill you?" she asked, shooting a killing curse that missed Ginny by inches alone.

Ginny's eyes narrowed, but before she could retaliate, Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out.

"Not my daughter you bitch!"

The next thing Hermione knew, Bellatrix Lestrange was dead on the ground. She barely had time to register Mrs. Weasley's victory. She saw that Ron and Neville had taken down Greyback, and she caught Ron's eye from across the room. They were going in for Voldemort. But before they could take a step, a disembodied voice shouted, "Protego!" and a shield charm placed itself between Mrs. Weasley and Voldemort. Suddenly, inexplicably, Harry was there, pulling off the cloak.

Shouts of "Harry!!!" "He's alive" encompassed the room. Hermione found her way to Ron's side, his eyes wide as they could go, and a grin reaching from ear to ear. Hermione was taking breath in large gulps, so relived she couldn't even believe it, a grin forming on her own face despite the fact that Voldemort was eyeing Harry with more malice than she had ever imagined possible, his red eyes ablaze with shock and fury.

"He's all right Hermione," Ron whispered, the relief clear in his tone. "I don't know how, but he's all right."

She took his hand gripped it tightly.

"No one help me!" called Harry. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

Hermione and Ron watched as their best friend held his own against the most evil wizard of all time, heard him claim Severus Snape's innocence, heard him explain the secrets of the elder wand, and most extraordinary of all, speak humbly of his sacrifice in the forest. Then, before they knew what had happened, Voldemort's body was unmoving on the floor. It was over. Absolutely, undeniably over.

They ran to him, hands still linked. When they reached him, they threw their arms around their best friend, the boy who had lived again. Hermione breathed a huge sigh of exhaustion, but glorious, heavenly relief. The three of them had survived. The three of them, after months on the run and years lived in anticipation of disaster, were finally safe. Voldemort, it seemed, had not conquered that particular wish.

A/N: Hi all!! As you can see, this is just the "Flaw in the Plan" chapter from DH. I didn't think it necessary to add in each and every word from the book, because you've all obviously read them already!  Anyway, this just struck me late one night and I needed to get it out on paper. Hope you enjoyed it!


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